Sticks and Bones
by Perfect Pirate Captain
Summary: They say an author's true thoughts and feelings are revealed through their writing. Dr. Temperance Brennan is no exception. B/B
1. Prologue: Parting Ways

**Sticks and Bones**

**Prologue: Parting Ways**

**Summary: **They say an author's true thoughts and feelings are revealed through their writing. Dr. Temperance Brennan is no exception.

"Flesh of flesh, Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe." - John Milton

* * *

The thunder clapped loudly outside of her modest apartment, she could hear the glass windows tremor ever so slightly, the rain mercilessly pounding the city. Yet, in spite of this great clamor raging on just outside, it could not compare with the drumming of her racing heart.

"Kathy. Kathy!" He yelled once more, reaching out to shake her shoulders and jolt her back to reality.

She blinked. Once. Twice.

"Are you even listening to me?" He yelled, fury evident in his eyes but not nearly as obvious as the pain he was attempting to conceal.

She nodded quickly. "Yes" she whispered, her voice hoarse and foreign to even her.

He sighed deeply and took a step away, releasing her from his grip. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes as he continued to walk backwards until his back came in contact with the wall.

He sighed once more, running his long fingers through his messy brown hair.

_It wasn't meant to happen like this_ he thought to himself.

_He, Andy Lister,_ _was meant to be happy._

_Happy and in love._

_She was meant to love him back. But she didn't._

"I can't do this anymore," he told her, keeping his voice firm and eyes down, not allowing himself to reveal his inner turmoil. He looked up after a moment of agonizing silence not quite sure what to expect. She was always a mystery to him, a constant surprise; it was one of the things he loved about her. That unpredictable nature of hers. She could go from blazing hot one moment to icy cold the next, before becoming temperate once more.

She didn't say anything, for once she was left speechless and could do nothing but stare.

He took in her unwavering stance, her cold lifeless blue eyes, and tightly lipped mouth before reaching his conclusion. He had all of the facts in; it was obvious and painfully clear to him now.

_She didn't care about him._ _He was nothing to her._

All those years ago he had promised her one thing, one thing only. That he would never leave her. That he would never abandon her like so many others before him had. He was there for the long haul, no matter what. Now five years later as he stood before her in the small hallway of her apartment he was breaking that promise.

Not because he was afraid to love her or that he saw her as damaged goods. No, it was because she was afraid to love him and he didn't know how much longer he could take being around her every day. Loving her silently while she could make or break his day with a mere smile and no form of promise. That was no way to live.

Without another word he pressed his back off of the wall and walked towards her, not stopping until their bodies were mere inches apart.

His mind wandered back to a time, when they first started their love affair, when they could be this close without it being nothing but promises. Promises of a good time, of happiness, of the warmth of the other. Now it was the opposite, this was the end of all promises made to one another, this would be the last time he would stand this close to her for a long time.

Her eyes had locked themselves to the ground beneath them, as she absentmindedly counted the scratches on the oak wood floor.

He reached out tantalizingly slowly, taking the time to enjoy this final moment between the two of them. His fingers met the bottom of her chin and slowly titled it so that her eyes met his and she was angled up towards him.

Her breath caught in her throat as her pale blue eyes met his usually warm brown eyes. His eyes were dark now, almost black, and seemingly soulless.

His hand cupped her face as his thumb glided smoothly over her skin to trace her slightly parted full lips. He watched her carefully now, watched her eyes as they remained on him, watched her body as she shook ever so slightly beneath his gentle touch, and watched as her right hand went out to grasp the bottom corner of his black suit jacket.

Once his thumb had thoroughly traced her lips, forever engraving them into his memory, he lowered his head. His face moving closer to hers with each passing second. His warm breath on her lips causing her eyes to flutter shut without a conscious thought.

Softly he pressed his lips against her in a feather light kiss. She parted her lips almost instinctively, giving him silent permission to taste her.

For a moment he was tempted, tempted to give into her sweet taste as he had done countless times before. But he refused, knowing if he did so he would lose himself once more and after a moment he pulled back and looked at her.

Her eyes remained tightly shut, her lips parted, and her breathing heavy. She looked beautiful and for a moment he couldn't tear his eyes off of her.

That moment however quickly passed as the pain in his heart reminded him once more of why they were here, why they were in this position in the first place, why he would be leaving and why he could not kiss her again.

She couldn't move, she struggled to catch her breath, her entire body reacting to his simple caress as it had done a thousand times before. Every time, without fail, he would leave her breathless and wanting more, more of him, her partner in more ways than one.

The sound of footsteps followed by a door closing broke through her revere. Her eyelids snapped open as her eyes desperately sought him out. But it was too late he was nowhere to be seen.

He had left her.

Her back found the wall behind her easily, her body sliding down it until she reached the cold hard floor beneath her. Only now, did she begin to let herself cry. For only now did it register that not only had her partner and best friend just abandoned her.

The man she loved was gone with him.


	2. A Sensual Bath

**Sticks and Bones**

**Chapter One: A Sensual Bath**

"A conventional good read is usually a bad read, a relaxing bath in what we know already. A true good read is surely an act of innovative creation in which we, the readers, become conspirators." - Augustine Birrel

* * *

The aromatic steam rose from the bathtub encompassing the room with the fragrant scent of lavender. Steaming hot water flowed freely from the silver taps into the porcelain bathtub, mixing with the generously added silk bubble bath. Milky white bubbles formed in clusters masking the soapy water that lay invitingly beneath it.

She made her way purposely through her bedroom towards her en-suite bathroom. Clothes discarded with each step, abandoned and forgotten on the plush cream carpet. As she neared her destination, she paused for a moment to switch off the sole light illuminating the room, sending her surroundings into total darkness.

Her eyes flickering briefly to the clock on her bedside table, _08:09 _it read.

Entering her bathroom she closed the connecting door before turning off another light.

Now in complete darkness Kathy headed to the oak cabinet in the far corner of the bathroom, her bare feet hitting the cool tile rhythmically.

The darkness made it slightly harder to find what she was looking for, but years of carefully ordering her possessions in a way that suited her, allowed her to locate the objects; a single box of red candles and set of matches.

In a matter of minutes all seven candles were lit, the flame glowing brightly providing the room with just enough light. She picked one up at a time, carefully positioning it in the room, before moving onto the next one.

Satisfied with her work, Kathy made her way towards the bathtub, shedding her final layer of clothing. She stopped at the back of the fawcett, turning it until she could no more, and the flow of water ceased. Ever so slowly she lifted her right leg and delicately dipped her toes into the water, testing the temperature for a moment.

Pleased with how hot the water was she allowed herself to full submerge the lower half of her body. The warm water quickly loosening her tense muscles. A sigh of contentment fell from her lips as her eyes closed shut and she leaned back. Her hand reaching out blinding for the glass of red wine she had left waiting.

Time passed by quickly and Kathy slipped into a state of semi-consciousness as her body relaxed and unwound from an excruciatingly long day of work. Most of which she spent hunched over a lab table, examining the remains of deceased civil war soldiers. The alcohol warmly coursing it's way through her.

Suddenly, her ears pricked up and she sat up a little straighter. The familiar sound of footsteps could be heard echoing through her apartment. The footsteps seemed to be heading in her direction, yet she made no attempt to get up or move from her current position. If anything she sunk herself further into the soapy water.

The door to the bathroom opened as a person entered the room, closing the door behind them. Her heart raced, echoing inside of her eardrums. Her eyes still remained closed. Her body had long since made her aware of the identity of the intruder. Now she sat waiting with anticipation.

The man stopped at the foot of the bathtub, taking a moment to admire the familiar beauty before him. He couldn't help but smile at her, fully aware that she could not see him.

The moment, however, was short lived and he quickly begun the task of removing his own clothing. First his expensive black suit jacket, then his solid navy blue tie. His fingers made quick work of his buttons and it was not long before his once crisp white shirt also lay discarded on the tile.

He took a step closer toward her before reaching for the silver belt buckle that remained tightly fastened around his waist. The buckle opened with ease, followed by the top button of his pants and then finally the zipper.

His pants hit the ground with a soft audible thud, a sound that failed to break her from her peaceful revere. He quickly stepped out of his pants and removed his black shoes and socks, placing them together in the corner of the room.

As he made his way back to the tub he removed his final article of clothing and tossed it aside.

Without wasting another moment he lifted his leg and stepped into the warm water, his body following immediately after.

She slid forward in the tub, almost instinctively, providing him with enough space to extend and part his long legs before she slid backward. Her partly dry back meeting his solid bare chest.

She leaned back into him, her face titling upwards toward his before she opened her eyes.

The familiar warm brown eyes that met her cool blue ones sent a shiver through her body. Her heart rate increased and the small smile on her face grew.

"Andy," she said softly, letting his name roll off her tongue, "Hi."

He smiled back at her before responding, "Hey."

The couple shared a moment; eyes locked, grins adoring their faces, before he leant down, as he had done countless times in the past, and pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

Temperance sighed deeply, her eyes pulling away from her computer screen, her body leaning back into her desk chair, putting some distance between her and the revealing words in front of her. To a casual reader the chapter was nothing more than the imaginative and innovative writing of a world-renowned best selling author. Even to her most avid fans this chapter would not provide them with a window into her life.

A grand total of four people would read this chapter, however, and would see right through her, they would read, with the skill that only they four possessed, between the lines and know that this was no meaningless work of fiction. This scene between Andy and Kathy was different, yes her two protagonists were intimate, yes they were both naked, but the moment they shared was sweet and to a degree innocent.

That was something that Kathy and Andy were most certainly not, their sexual escapades were borderline legendary and according to some, what kept her readers hooked onto her every word.

Just as she moved her mouse forward, with the intention of dragging her cursor over the text and deleting all of the evidence, her phone rang.

Brennan turned her head quickly in the direction of the loud buzzing, her eyes quickly seeking out the source of the noise.

Curious as to who would be calling her so late in the evening, she made her way over to the cellular device, her eyes seeking out the name on the flashing display.

Angela.

Brennan groaned loudly, as much as she loved her best friend, at the moment she was not in the mood to listen to her typical antics. However, her best friend was just as relentless as she was and the phone continued to ring. Temperance gripped the phone tighter, worried that the sound would attract the attention of the other occupant in the apartment.

To her relief the ringing ceased and her apartment was once again silent, save for the humming of her desktop computer, still displaying her latest chapter.

"Temperance?" a voice called out suddenly, she jumped slightly.

"I'm coming, just give me a minute" she replied quickly, not wanting him to find her here in her study, clutching her cell phone.

Without wasting another moment Brennan placed the phone upon her oak wood desk and carefully grabbed the two glasses brimming with her favorite wine, pinot noir. Temperence now hurried across her apartment towards her destination, her bare feet tapping loudly against the oak floor.

Pressing her back against the door that stood in front of her she pushed it open, entering the darkness that was her bedroom. Without pausing she continued further into the room until reaching the second door. This time she hesitated for a moment, if she was honest with herself, she didn't really want to go in, she didn't want to be spending her evening in there, with _him_.

The man she really wanted to be spending it with, however, was no where to be seen. It has been three weeks since he walked out and two and a half since she had last seen him. Two weeks and three days since she had last heard his voice, he wasn't even speaking to her, she just happened to be passing by her boss' office at the time.

"Tempe?" the man called out a second time, "do you need some help?"

"No!" Temperance replied, a second too fast, as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

"There you are, I was beginning to think you had got lost" Simon remarked with a warm smile.

Brennan frowned, "Why would I be lost in my own apartment?" she inquired, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Simon's smile quickly disappeared, "You wouldn't have...it was a joke.."

"Oh."

"So, do you plan on joining me?" he asked her, his smile once again returning as he gestured to the bathtub he was currently situated in. His body submerged up to his waist, displaying his considerably hairy chest to her.

Temperance attempted a smile as she made her way closer and handed him both glasses of wine. "Of course" she replied, only able to produce a wry smile at best.

Hands now free, she reached for the thin silk strings of her dressing gown. Pulling gently, the knot released and the fabric fell away, revealing her to him.

Simon gave an audible gasp as the material hit the floor, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of her. Once more, without hesitation she stepped towards him and lowered herself into the tub, subtly attempting to conceal herself with the bubbles. She closed her eyes as the warm sensation that the water provided encompassed her. As Simon moved closer to her in the water, Temperance let go. Her mind leaving her as her thoughts returned, as they had done countless times before, to that of her ex-partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth.


	3. Laid Bare

**Sticks and Bones**

**Chapter Two: Laid Bare **

"What makes life worth living is knowing that one day you'll wake up and find the person that makes you happier than anything in the world. So don't ever lose hope and give up, everything turns out okay and the good guy always wins." - Anonymous

**Author's Note:** Before I begin, I'd like to thank TravelingSue, CoilerFan35, CharmedGurlie, hrhdana and Serra Tachi for your wonderful reviews.

* * *

The first of the sun's rays crept their way in between cream-colored blinds, their light illuminating the room with a pale yellow glow. Beneath these warm rays a woman began to stir, her body twisting as she awoke from her slumber. The thin white sheet that had rested lightly on her body falling away, allowing the cool air that circulated the room to run across her skin. Her body shivered slightly before she finally opened her eyes and lifted her head from the pillow. It took a moment for her bright blue eyes to fully adjust to her surroundings before they finally settled on her sleeping partner.

As always, she was the first to awaken, just as she was always the first to fall asleep. It was just how was and it was something that she was grateful for. He was a surprisingly deep sleeper considering that he spent his time in the Rangers as a sniper, a position that required a soldier to be constantly aware of their surroundings and any changes that occurred. Part of her wondered whether his exhaustion was mainly the result of their late night activities. She for one couldn't help but fall into a deep sleep once they had fully satisfied one another.

Pulling away from her silent musings, with a smile on her face, her eyes eagerly began their morning exploration of his body. It was undoubtedly her favorite past time and what always had her up at such early hours of the morning. While fast asleep, Andy was unquestionably vulnerable and exposed. His features were completely at ease making him look years younger than he actually was and his full lips were parted ever so slightly, allowing for the steady flow of carbon dioxide to pass as he exhaled.

Her eyes ran over his strong chiseled jaw before moving towards his well developed chest, which steadily rose and fell as his diaphragm contracted and relaxed. She continued her journey downward stopping only once her eyes met the white sheet that obscured the rest of him. She frowned deeply at the obstacle this presented, her eyebrows knitted together as her eyes narrowed.

_That would simply not do. _Kathy thought to herself, as she edged her body closer to his.

Ever so slowly she moved her right hand greedily towards top of the sheet, which rested just above his hips. Just as she was about to hit her mark, a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, effectively halting her movement. A gasp of surprise fell from her lips as her eyes snapped up to his.

Andy couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips, his eyes dancing with amusement as he took in her surprise. The expression "hand caught in the cookie jar" immediately came to mind.

Kathy quickly opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get a word in he had flipped them over and had trapped her hands above her head. Her blue eyes widened slightly as she noticed the predatory gleam in his now coal colored eyes, the weight of his body pressing them deeper into the mattress.

* * *

Without warning, the usually alert and focused eyes that belonged to a one Doctor Temperance Brennan snapped open. Her mind racing as she quickly assessed the situation. The first thing that she became aware of was that she was not alone, someone was most definitely lying next to her. The next discovery that she made was that she was in fact naked and that her clothes were no where to be found. Quickly turning her head in the direction of her bed mate, it didn't take her long to realize what had torn her from her slumber.

Simon's rather sweaty hand was roughly squeezing her right breast, his muddy brown eyes fixated on her exposed body as he subconsciously licked his lips.

Pulling her body away from him in disgust, Temperance quickly climbed out of bed and grabbed the bed sheets, covering herself with them. The look of disappointment that appeared on his face did not go unnoticed, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Right now she simply felt sick, her instinct to run fast and far pulling her away from the room and into the bathroom in a matter of seconds.

Once securely in the confines of her bathroom, Brennan allowed herself to take a moment to breathe. Her mind still racing as memories of what had transpired the night before hit her. She suddenly felt dirty. His hands had been on her, they had touched her skin, caressed her, and she had allowed him too. Knowing full well that she was simply using him for the release she had been craving for weeks.

"Tempe? Babe, are you alright?"

His words vaguely registered, barely breaking through the fog that had clouded her mind. She was confused, it wasn't like she hadn't taken someone home with the intention of having sex with them before. Yet for some reason being torn from her sleep, in the manner that she had been, had served as a rude awakening in more than one way. It had served to bring to light what she already knew, she didn't want Simon to be the one lying next to her when she woke up. She didn't want to wake up to the sensation of him running his hands over his exposed body, retracing the patterns he had made the previous night.

Rather, she found herself fantasying what it would be like to wake up every morning and go to sleep every night with the same person for the next 30, 40, and possibly even 50 years in the future. Ever since the abandonment of both her parents and her brother, along with the frequent changes in foster parents, Temperance had craved some form of a constant. She had long since made science her constant, always able to rely on cold hard facts and the evidence knowing that they were indisputable and no matter what anyone said or what happened, they couldn't or wouldn't change.

Six years ago she found herself with a new constant, this time in the shape and form of her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth. He had some how forced his way into her life, despite her numerous protests, and it hadn't taken long before she had grown accustom to his constant presence. Perhaps that was why she now found herself reverting back to her old ways. Going from one lover to the next without a single thought, focusing on the science and ignoring emotions and people, observing and analyzing life rather than living it.

Somehow he had changed her and even now, without his constant presence in her life, he was still there, in a manner of speaking. He was there when she went to a bar to find someone to satisfy her biological urges, he was the voice in her head that said "you can do better than this loser, Bones." He was there when the agent she was currently working with told her they had a new case, when she went to the diner and saw an assortment of pie on display, he was everywhere because in changing her he had forever imprinted himself upon her.

No matter how much distance he may try to put between them she knew, deep down, that they would never truly escape one another. For she too had also marked him with her logic and reason, with her determination to find out the truth no matter how much it may hurt. From her he had learned about entropy and evolution, but from him he had shown her how human interaction helped to bring about those changes, how they act as the natural force which tears every thing apart.

Their current situation was evidence enough of that.

"Hey Tempe, listen, I'm not sure what's going on with you but I have an early meeting at work and I can't be late. So I guess I'll go home and shower, I'll call you later." Simon called out to her from the other side of the bathroom door, as he moved swiftly around the room collecting his discarded clothes.

Once again she found herself ignoring him as she instead made her way over to the sink and turned on the taps. As she waited a few moments for the water to heat up, she forcefully buried her fingers deep within her messy auburn hair.

The distinct sound of her front door closing snapped her back to reality. Quickly removing her fingers from her hair she begun splashing water on her face, hoping that it would help put an end to her internal struggle. Unfortunately for her, with her face now clean she was very much aware of how sticky the rest of her skin felt and she suddenly found herself with the need to get rid of all traces of Simon and their intimate encounter.

Without wasting another moment Temperance spun around and walked directly into her custom made, marble shower. She relished in the sensation of the ice cold water running down her skin, as it metaphorically washed away all evidence of the last 24 hours, leaving her with nothing more than a mere memory of her biological urges being satisfied.

Simon was merely another knock on her bedpost, so to speak, there had been many before him and she knew there would be many after him. That's just how it was and for once, Temperance couldn't help the momentary wave of sadness that overcame her. However, that moment was fleeting as her defense mechanism kicked in and she couldn't feel a thing.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Please take a moment to review, it really means a lot to me even if it's just a word or two. Also, I'd like to mention that this story is not just a collection of random moments between Kathy and Andy which are then compared to Brennan's current life. There is an underlying story and these moments serve to help you understand what's happening while at the same time showing you what she really wants to happen.


	4. A Meal Shared

**Sticks and Bones**

**Chapter Three: A Meal Shared**

"As each of us wants the other watching at the end,

as both want not to leave the other alone,

as wanting to love beyond this meat and bone,

we gaze across breakfast and pretend." - Miller Williams

**Author's Note:** Thank you to TravelingSue, Serra Tachi, Nertooold54, CharmedGurlie, Coilerfan35, MoonlightGardenias and KatBonesCrazy for reviewing! Also a special thanks goes to the amazing Serra Tachi for beta reading this chapter! :)

* * *

The frequently bustling and hectic roads of D.C. were unusually quiet in the early September morning. The soft melodic sound of birds chirping while sat upon the bare branches of trees, which had lost their leaves over the course of the last month, filled the air. The early risers of the city graced the streets with their presence as they each hurried in their own direction, eager to start their sure to be busy day. Their minds completely focused only on what the new day would bring, all thoughts of the past and the routine they had found themselves in failed to break their concentration. As is typical with city dwellers, they looked to the future, choosing not to waste their time stopping to sit on a park bench or listen to the birds, those mundane activities were for people unlike themselves, people who had time to spend fruitlessly, usually the elderly or young children.

That morning, however, for Special Agent Andy Lister and his beautiful partner Doctor Kathy Reichs,was to be spent enjoying life and living in the present, reflecting on the past and what had brought them to this current moment. While they spent eight to ten hours a day as work partners, the rest of the time they spent as life partners. The beauty of having your life partner be the same person as your work partner, was that the two of you could get out of bed after hours of loving making, get dressed, and have breakfast together, before leaving for work and then spend the entire day and night in each others company.

While for many spending that much time with another person would be overwhelming, for the partners, it was simply what they were used to. At the beginning, when they first begun working cases together, they had spent many hours working over time. They would arrive at work as early as 6am and stay until early hours of the next morning finishing paperwork, catching only a few scarce hours of sleep in between it all. The idea of spending less than eighteen to twenty hours a day with one another had become almost foreign, and they had quickly become a single unit, not only when they broke the laws of physics, but also in almost every aspect of their day-to-day lives.

It was not long before they finally arrived at their destination: their favorite diner located on the corner of a busy intersection. In spite of the early hour, the place was already open and a few customers sat inside enjoying their breakfast while watching the early morning news on the 19-inch television, which had been carefully placed in the corner of the ceiling at an angle that allowed it to be seen from a majority of the seats.

Absorbed in their own little world, the partners exited the standard government issue black SUV, made their way into the diner, and over to their corner booth in the far back. Once comfortably seated, they waited silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Her gaze was set outside of the diner, looking out of the window to her right, watching as people and cars passed by without sparing a glance in her direction. He, on the other hand, chose to busy himself with one of the many paper napkins carefully laid out on the table, mindlessly tearing is to shreds as he waited for their usual server to deliver their food.

Fifteen minutes later, their usual waitress, Cindy, placed their freshly cooked food carefully in front of them before she turned and left with a quick "Good Morning" and the promise of coffee. By the time she returned, the couple were still silent, eating their food while their focus was elsewhere. However, she thought nothing of it, as the couple usually spent their mornings in this manner. It was never an uncomfortable or awkward silence, it was a comfortable silence which demonstrated the ease at which they felt with one another, neither one feeling the need to fill the silence with meaningless words or uninteresting topics of discussion.

It didn't take long for Andy to polish off a full English breakfast and two full cups of coffee while she took her time with her fresh fruit, yogurt, and buttered triangles of toast. Now free of distraction, the agent turned his full attention on his partner, taking in her beauty in a manner that would suggest he was seeing her for the first time. His eyes ran over her soft features, her light blue eyes, the way her slightly wavy blonde hair framed her face.

Feeling his familiar gaze on her, Kathy glanced up from her food, her eyes meeting his, causing a jolt of electricity to pass through them. Even after all this time, they both still felt that original spark. It had only seemed to grow stronger the closer they grew and the more time they spent together. It was for this reason that neither one outwardly reacted to the sensation, rather they chose to simply continue staring back at one another, silently conveying to each other what they chose not to with words.

* * *

It was a well-known fact that every morning, with the exception of Sundays, Doctor Temperance Brennan could be found in the Jeffersonian medical legal lab from as early as 6am. It was also a well known fact that she was never a minute late, unless of course she had company the previous night; then she would usually arrive somewhere around 8am. However, on that Tuesday morning, Temperance Brennan was not hunched over carefully arranged human remains, nor was she in her office working on her latest book or finishing up paperwork from her last case. In fact, she was not even on her way to the lab that morning.

Instead, she found herself driving in the direction of the diner with the intention of sitting down for a proper meal, one of which she would be sharing with no one. Her desire to grab breakfast before work was impulsive, but for once she did not allow herself to stop and rationalize her decision, choosing instead to take it in stride.

The diner, as expected, was fairly abandoned with only a handful of people scattered around as they chewed thoughtfully on their food. Out of sheer habit more than anything, she found herself making her way over to the booth at the far back, sliding into it in a surprisingly graceful manner. It was not long before a steaming hot mug of freshly brewed coffee was placed in front of her, filling the air around her with its unique scent. Only then did she realize that she was sitting on the side that Booth would usually occupy, customarily she sat so that the window was to her right and her back was to the exit.

She was so occupied analyzing her subconscious action that she failed to notice the sudden wave of people that had arrived. Thus, she found herself caught off guard when she realized how busy in fact the place had become. The loud sound of chatter filled the restaurant along with the mouthwatering smell of an assortment of freshly prepared food.

"So, what can I get for you this morning?" a young waitress asked her, unexpectedly appearing at her table.

Brennan glanced up and realized that this waitress was most definitely new to the job. Every other waitress at the place had her order memorized. They knew what she wanted for every meal of the day and brought it to her without a single question.

"I think I'll just have some fruit," Brennan responded after silent consideration.

"Would you like a variety of fresh fruit or would you be interested in a slice of our fruit filled pie?"

Surprisingly, Brennan found herself ordering a slice of a cherry pie and even asking for it to be heated and topped with whipped cream.

At the first taste of the dessert, Brennan found herself reminiscing of the first time she had given into Booth's constant pestering for her to try pie. It had been at his apartment; they had sat on high stools facing one another and she had finally caved and allowed him to place a single piece of his most treasured dessert into her mouth. In that moment, she had realized that she had been too quick to judge. Her taste buds had found the apple pie to be unexpectedly tasteful in spite of her constant insistence that she preferred not to have her fruit cooked.

Now here she was, many months later, placing piece after piece of the single slice of cherry pie into her mouth, savoring its sweet and tangy taste almost as if consuming it entirely would somehow bring her closer to her partner. A notion that was completely irrational.

Or so she thought.

Without warning, every hair on her arm rose as a shiver passed down her spine. Her heart raced, her breathing became uneven, and her palms uncharacteristically sweaty. He was there, she could feel it in every atom of her existence. Daring to look up, she found herself meeting his penetrating gaze from two tables over. He was facing her, unusually sitting on her side of the bench, something he only did if someone had already taken the other side. The seat opposite him, however, was empty, or well it was. A few seconds after meeting his gaze, a flash of blonde curls went flying past her from the bathroom, towards her ex-partner. The young boy bounced up and down in his seat, always so full of energy even in the early hours of the morning.

Moments had passed in which neither one had blinked nor dared to breathe. Unable to take it any longer, she tore her eyes away from his and brought them back down to the empty plate which sat in front of her. The smeared sauce, from the cherries, was the only evidence of what she had just consumed.

His gaze was still on her and it was making her uncomfortable. She could feel him as if he were sitting in the seat in front of her, and not twenty feet away. She needed to escape. He was burning her without even touching her, and the thought that he could have so much power over her caused her to flashback to her reasons for running in the first place.

Quickly looking for an escape, she signaled the waitress over and paid her bill. She then proceeded to gather up her few belongings and make a quick dash for the exit, making sure not to walk too close to him or meet his gaze as she passed by. She wasn't ready to confront him, not after what had transpired between the two of them, and how they had left things in the end.

"Dr. BONES!" Parker's voice called out to her, his voice louder than the chatter, easily reaching her ears, causing her steps to falter slightly before she pressed on. She couldn't stop, not even to wave at the young child who had long since stolen her heart not unlike how his father had done over the years.

Had she looked back, once out of sight, she would have seen the heartbroken expression on Parker Booth's face as his idol and favorite person failed to acknowledge his presence.

Turning his gaze away from the diner's exit, Parker turned to his father, meeting his warm brown eyes with his own. The look of sadness so plainly etched on Parker's face did not go unnoticed by Booth, causing a wave of sadness and pain to engulfed him, knowing that he was partly responsible for that look.

"Maybe she didn't hear me," Parker said quietly, his eyes downcast as they briefly filled with tears.

Booth glanced away from his son for a moment, his body turning to his right as he glanced out of the window, searching with his eyes until he found the lone figure of his ex-partner heading towards her car. His heart twisted painfully inside his chest as he noticed her forcefully wiping away the stray tears that had escaped.

"Yeah maybe, Bud," Booth whispered in response, his eyes never leaving her until she was no longer in sight. "Maybe," he repeated once more.

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**Author's Note:** Please take a moment to review, it doesn't take long and it means a lot :) Now for some shameless self promoting, if any one is interested I also have a youtube channel and around 15 or so Bones videos. www(dot)youtube(dot)com/PirateTillTheEnd My backup account is PirateTilThEnd (incase you get confused).


	5. The Breaking Point

**Sticks and Bones**

**Chapter Four: The Breaking Point**

"It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel." - Anonymous

**Author's Note:** Thank you to Alicia9876, CharmedGurlie, Gaialy, KatBonesCrazy, Nertooold54, Coilerfan35, TravelingSue and hrhdana for your reviews! As always, they are very much appreciated! Hopefully all of your questions will be answered in this chapter. Enjoy!

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The slightly obscured night sky stretched as far as the eye could see, blanketing the capital city in a shroud of darkness. Only a few bright stars could be seen against the pitch black night, the powerful bright moon hidden away by the few wispy clouds present. The beauty of that evening did not go unnoticed by the city dwellers living beneath it, rather they each gazed up into the dark abyss with a look of wonderment in their eyes. Nothing could compare in beauty to the unpredictable and completely captivating nature of the night sky.

With only the fluorescent street lamps as a source of light, a couple made their way carefully through the abandoned streets of D.C. They walked side by side in complete silence, their gaze drifting between the beautiful view above them and the pavement in front of them. It was often that the couple found themselves in silence, silence seemed to surround them in many aspects of their daily lives. They were silent as they left the apartment in the morning, they were silent as they ate breakfast together, they were silent as they admired one another from afar and most importantly they were silent about their relationship.

They reached her apartment building after a few short minutes, the 24-hour Chinese takeaway being only a couple blocks away. This week they would be staying at her place, the couple rotated apartments every other week to keep it fair and allow them both to have their own place. That way should any friend or family member stop by they could run back home and their guest would be none the wiser. Also, it allowed them to perfect escape should they ever need any time apart.

Andy reached the door first and pulled out a key from his left pocket, juggling the box of freshly prepared Chinese food in his other hand. The couple entered the apartment as soon as the door opened, neither one pausing to turn on the main light by the entrance. Instead they made their way over to the couches in the center of the apartment and while he begun laying out the containers of food, she went off in search of candles to set the mood.

As their relationship was a secret they spent most of their time away from the public. Spending their nights in the company of each other and creating their own romantic setting. Sometimes he would come home in the late evening, after spending countless hours at a meeting in the bureau, to find she had spend those hours cooking. The couple would then lay out a white embroidered table cloth, light tall white candles, and use his expensive chinaware to recreate a candle-lit dinner at a 5-star restaurant.

Tonight, however, was simply Chinese food and a few candles to give their meal a more intimate feel about it, distinguishing it from the rest of the meals they shared simply as work partners.

The meal was quickly consumed and boxes of empty cartons littered the table and floor. After a moment of letting her food begin to digest, Kathy rose from the carpet and headed towards the kitchen in search of two glasses and a bottle of wine.

The bottle that she produced was a gift from an ex-boyfriend many years back, he immediately recognized it by it's unusual shape and stained green coloring. Yet, he avoided bringing it up, instead he merely fixated on it as he thought back to a time, before they had become romantically involved, when she was simply his work partner.

Kathy had dated numerous men during their initial years of partnership, yet only a handful were significant. Andy couldn't help but recall the jealously that filled him as he watched these hopeful men, with their bright smiles, their attractive physique, and unrestricted access to his partner, come in and out of her life.

Even now, that they were in a romantic relationship together, he did not have the same access to her that the men before him did. They were forced to pretend on an almost daily basis, that there was nothing really between them, that he had not given her his heart. He wanted to be able to call her his wife and to live together in a beautiful house with a large garden, where their children could play freely.

Simply put, he wanted more.

"Will you marry me?" he asked aloud, before he could stop himself.

Kathy froze, her heart started racing, her breathing became erratic and her instinct to run overwhelming. _Not this again,_ she thought to herself.

"What?" she whispered, disbelief thickly clouding her words.

Taking a brief moment to compose himself he turned to her, mustering up every ounce of courage he possessed. "I want more, Kathy," he answered firmly, leaving no room for argument. "I thought I was okay with our current situation, I thought that it was enough, but it isn't," Andy continued, his eyes never leaving hers.

Speechless she stared back at him, she didn't know what to say, she knew that this moment right here and now could break them. This moment right now was one that would haunt her for days to come should she make the wrong decision. She could see it plainly in his eyes that he wanted this more than anything, that he wanted nothing more than to scream from the rooftops about their relationship.

Sensing her inner turmoil he moved closer before leaning down to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. A sense of deja vu washed over her as she found herself pushing him away, her hands going to his chest to hold him back.

"No! No! No!" she pleaded, pounding her hands against him.

"Why? Why? Why?" he exclaimed, equally as desperate as she was.

"We've already talked about this, you said you would move on," she implored reaching out to cup his strong jaw in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. Her touch however was something he most certainly did not need in that moment, right now he wanted her to just give in, to finally accept that what was between them was real. That love really did exist, that not everyone leaves, that he would still be there 30, 40, and even 50 years from now.

"I tried! Believe me, Bones, I tried," he continued as he pushed her hand away. "I dated Katherine and Hannah, but neither one of them is you. I love you, I really do, you have to believe me. I know you're the one, I knew that from the very beginning, and that's not going to change. Ever," Booth pressed on, this time he would not let her go without a fight. This time it was all or nothing, he was laying everything on the line.

"Booth..." Brennan whispered, tears streaming freely down her face. She thought they had finished with this, she was certain that he agreed that he needed protecting from her, that she would only drive him away as she had done to so many before.

"Please don't do this to me again, I can't go through that again."

Kathy let out a shuddering breath, she was shaking now, with the sobs that she attempted to contain. "I can't," she answered, her voice barely a whisper.

Andy closed his eyes, waiting for the now familiar feeling of complete and utter heartbreak to overwhelm him. It didn't come. Instead he felt nothing, just emptiness. His heart had been broken so many times before by the very woman that sat in front of him, that he was incapable of feeling anymore. She had destroyed him and she had done so in the name of protecting him.

"You're right," Booth finally spoke breaking the agonizing silence that followed after her rejection. She looked at him with blurred vision, her eyes clouded with tears, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. She waited for him to continue, watching as he silently stood up and shrugged on his jacket.

"You do push everyone away, maybe that's why you're so alone," he finally finished, his words harsh but utterly true.

Booth made his way towards her front door, pausing only when he heard her voice call out to him. "Can we still work together? You said last time.." Brennan begun only to trail off in the end, she knew what his answer would be even before he did.

"No, we can't," he replied honestly, pausing to collect this thoughts. "I can't do this any more," he finished as he turned to her. She was now standing in front of him, her eyes downcast, her face emotionless.

He let out a deep sigh before he made his way over to her, taking a moment to run his eyes over her familiar beauty, forever engraining it in his memory.

Then tantalizingly slowly he reached out, taking the time to enjoy this final moment between the two of them. His fingers met the bottom of her chin and slowly titled it so that her eyes met his and she was angled up towards him.

Her breath caught in her throat as her pale blue eyes met his usually warm brown eyes. His eyes were dark now, almost black, and seemingly soulless.

His hand cupped her face as his thumb glided smoothly over her skin to trace her slightly parted full lips. He watched her carefully now, watched her eyes as they remained on him, watched her body as she shook ever so slightly beneath his gentle touch, and watched as her right hand went out to grasp the bottom corner of his black suit jacket.

Once his thumb had thoroughly traced her lips, forever engraving them into his memory, he lowered his head. His face moving closer to hers with each passing second. His warm breath on her lips causing her eyes to flutter shut without a conscious thought.

Softly he pressed his lips against her in a feather light kiss.

All too soon he pulled away, resisting the urge to kiss her deeply and throughly. Without glancing back he turned and exited her apartment, walking quickly to avoid turning and running back to her.

She couldn't move, she struggled to catch her breath, her entire body reacting to his simple caress as if were the first time.

The sound of footsteps followed by a door closing broke through her revere. Her eyelids snapped open as her eyes desperately sought him out. But it was too late he was nowhere to be seen.

He had left her.

Her back found the wall behind her easily, her body sliding down it until she reached the cold hard floor beneath her. Only now, did she begin to let herself cry. For only now did it register that not only had her partner and best friend just abandoned her.

The man she lov

* * *

"Bren?" a voice suddenly asked, snapping her back to reality and away from her computer screen.

Temperance turned towards the voice, her light blue eyes meeting the curious brown ones of Angela Montenegro.

Angela had been standing there for the past fifteen minutes, silently watching as her friend furiously typed, tears streaming down her face. Not only had Brennan been at her computer screen all morning and for most of the afternoon, but she had completely ignored the new set of remains that had arrived from Peru. Angela couldn't help but be worried, something was most definitely wrong. Ever since Booth's sudden departure, for whatever reason; Brennan hadn't been the same.

"Yes Angela?" Brennan responded as she wiped away the tears from her face.

"Sweetie, you've been in here all morning and I'm starting to get worried, you haven't even looked at the new set of remains that arrived from Peru." Angela commented as she made her way over to the chair on the other side of Brennan's desk, purposely not mentioning her friend's tears.

"Oh right, yes. It must have skipped my mind."

Angela blinked.

"My publisher texted me this morning; the first draft of my book is due in a week and all I have so far are a collection of moments between Kathy and Andy. I'm attempting to fill in the blanks, between the scenes, and create a proper story line," Temperance clarified noticing the stunned expression on Angela's face.

"I suppose I'll have to work on it later, I need to examine those remains," she continued standing up and reaching for her lab coat.

Angela remained seated in her chair, silently watching as her friend left her office and headed over to the main platform. Once certain that Brennan would be completely absorbed in her work for the next few hours, Angela rose from her seat and walked around the desk towards Brennan's laptop. She was curious more than anything. Not only curious as to what could have driven her friend to tears, but also about the scenes she had written between Kathy and Andy.

Usually Brennan had the case down and pat. It was the scenes between the partners that she had trouble with, even though she had plenty of those "moments" in real life that she could easily incorporate. Apparently ever since Booth had asked for their partnership to be severed, Brennan was able to come up with these moments easier than the actual cases. Something told her that whatever Brennan had written in those chapters would give her a better insight into whatever her best friend was going through at the moment.

_After all, they do say you give up a little bit of yourself in everything that you write, _Angela mused.

That was unavoidable and something she was all too familiar with when it came to Brennan's writing. On numerous occasions had she commented that the characters were based off of the team at the lab, and as much as Brennan tried to deny it, Angela knew it would only be a matter of time before she admitted it to herself.

Without wasting another moment, Angela Montengro scrolled to the top of the word document and begun reading. She was a woman on a mission, a mission to find out the truth and help her best friend no matter what, and nothing was about to stand in her way.

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**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry for the delay with this chapter, I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to have happened between Booth/Brennan. Anyway, I hope that the length of this chapter made up for the huge wait. Also, just wondering, does anyone read the quotes that I put at the beginning of my chapters? Or do you just scroll down and read the story? No worries if you do, just curious. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to review!


	6. The Chemistry of a Crash

**Sticks and Bones**

**Chapter Five: The Chemistry of a Crash**

"All our lives we search for someone who makes us complete.

We choose partners and change partners.

We dance the song of heartbreak and hope all the while,

wondering if somewhere, somehow, there is someone searching for us." - Kevin Arnold

**Author's Note: **Thanks to Coilerfan35, KSpilstead, Supergirlhero, MakeLoveNotSense, KatBonesCrazy, Serra Tachi, CharmedGurlie, TravelingSue, Tess85, and Booth's Smurfette for your wonderful reviews! I've rewritten this chapter about ten times, I finally caved and decided to go with this. Hope you enjoy it!

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The bright blue Virginia sky, accompanied by the radiant sun, gave the impression that today would be a beautiful day. A beautiful day filled with birds chirping, children playing in the park, couples laughing and holding hands, all in all, a relaxing day. However, as Special Agent Christopher Walker trudged his way through deep pools of mud, he couldn't help but feel cheated. The air around him was thick and heavy with the putrid scent of decaying burnt flesh. In every direction were large piles of trash containing a variety scrap metal, bursting garbage bags, and containers filled with sewage.

It had been approximately one month since his last case and while he was eager for a new challenge, he was not grateful to have received this new assignment at 5:30am on a Saturday morning. Especially since he had been planning on spending the weekend with his pregnant wife and three-year old daughter. However, without asking, Christopher knew exactly why he had been personally asked by the Deputy Director of the FBI to lead this investigation.

Over the course of the six years that Christopher had spent at the bureau, he had earned himself the reputation of being a lone wolf. He never worked with a partner for more than the course of a single case, he was never seen at any social events with his colleagues, in fact, he never took the time to learn anyone's name. On the other hand, when it came down to it, no one ever questioned his effectiveness or the method for which he solved his cases. His solve rate was one of the highest in the bureau's history, coming up just below that of Special Agent Lister and Dr. Reichs.

Regardless, Christopher could only assume that the reason he received this assignment, was that it would mean Hanson would be ruining only one of his agent's weekends, as apposed to two, and that was simply good office politics.

Not that Christopher understood them, much less cared for them.

"What do we have here?" He called out to the FBI technician currently crouched over, what he could only assume, were a set of human remains.

The middle-aged technician glanced up from the body, his eyes taking a moment to readjust against the morning sunlight.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure if these are even human remains. The body has been far too decomposed and damaged for me to properly identify the species let alone give you a sex, age, or even a cause of death," the technician responded honestly, as he rose from his uncomfortable position and begun removing his blue latex gloves.

"I see, well, don't Lister and Dr. Reichs usually cover these type of cases?" Christopher questioned, suddenly confused why Hanson would call anyone besides the duo to solve this case.

The technician nodded, taking a step away from the body. "Typically, yes, but didn't you hear? They had their partnership dissolved," he explained.

"Ah yes, how could I forget?" Walker responded absently, briefly remembering some of his colleagues gossiping about the non-couple. Unsurprisingly he hadn't paid it much attention, only briefly registering what they had said. "Is there any one else who would be able to successfully identify these remains?"

"Not that I know of, Dr. Reichs is the best."

"Very well then," Christopher concluded, "where can I find her?"

* * *

The sharp sound of knocking broke through the peaceful silence that had descended in the apartment. The sole occupant groaned loudly at the sound, turning over and reaching for her pillow, before burying her face in it. As the knocking grew more incessant, she let out a dejected sigh and rose from her bed. Pausing only to reach for her dressing gown, Kathy made her way through her apartment, not caring that she hadn't even washed her face yet.

Upon reaching her front door, the anthropologist peered through her peep hole. Blinking in confusion at the unfamiliar man standing on the other side.

Cautiously Kathy opened the door, keeping the chain securely in place - just in case.

"Can I help you?" she questioned, once the man, upon hearing the door opening, had turned to face her.

"I hope so," Christopher responded, before introducing himself. "I'm Special Agent Christopher Walker, Dr. Kathy Reichs I presume?"

Kathy nodded, unsure why the FBI would have sent an agent to her apartment. Especially since she had made it crystal clear that she never wanted to have anything to do with the bureau again.

"May I come in?" Christopher prompted, wanting to be out of the public's eye when divulging classified information.

"Show me your badge and identification first."

After doing so and taking the time to properly read his credentials, she unhooked the chain and stepped aside, allowing him to pass through the threshold.

Christopher entered her apartment respectfully, his eyes roaming around her apartment briefly, taking in the various artifacts she had accumulated. Although his glance was only cursory, years of training and an intricate sense of detail, allowed him to catalogue everything and, in turn, draw his own conclusions about the doctor. From what he could tell, she lived alone, she had only been in the apartment for a few months at the most, and she was quite well off.

"Have a seat, I'll get you some coffee," Kathy politely suggested, as she made her way purposely into the kitchen.

Christopher nodded, accepting her offer, before turning his gaze to the woman. From his angle he could only see her when she was directly in front of the coffee pot. Whenever she stepped back to retrieve something, he lost sight of her. Having only briefly scanned her file on the way over here, he was intrigued.

As awful as it sounded, he liked to view people as intricate puzzles. Everyone, whether they were conscious of it or not, revealed a piece of them self in everything they said or did. If one pays close enough attention, one day all the pieces come together to create the unique picture of that individual. It was something that Christopher had always enjoyed, picking apart people in every way possible and discovering who they really were behind whatever metaphorical wall they had placed around them.

Kathy soon returned with two steaming mugs of black coffee in her hands. Placing them both on top of her discarded anthropology magazines, she turned her attention back to the agent. "Do you take milk or sugar?"

"I'll have it black, thanks."

Kathy nodded, also deciding that she would take hers black too.

Taking a seat directly next to the agent, Kathy decided to get straight to the point. "Why are you here, Agent Walker?"

Christopher blinked in response before quickly regaining composure. The other agents had warned him that she wasn't one to beat around the bush. Choosing to follow in suit, he jumped right into the case at hand.

"A set of human remains were discovered some time this morning. Unfortunately, the remains have been far too discomposed for any of the technicians to uncover the identity of the victim, let alone, give us cause of death."

"And you want me to identify the body," she replied. Her response more of statement than an actual question.

Christopher nodded before elaborating further. "I was hoping that you would be able to successful identify the remains and provide me with a cause of death."

"That's it?"

Christopher looked at her in confusion, "what do you mean? Is there something else you are expecting?"

"All you're offering me is lab work. I already have plenty of lab work at the moment."

"What else would you like?" he questioned, unsure at what she was hinting at.

"Full participation in all aspects of the case."

"Are you asking to be my partner?"

"Just on this case," Kathy quickly clarified.

"Huh, that's interesting. Word is, every single agent that has offered you partnership, thus far, you've turned down. Now tell me something, Dr. Reichs, why are you so quick to ask to form a partnership with me?" Chris questioned, angling himself closer to her. While typically this was something he did solely when he was trying to threaten a suspect, he found himself hoping to make the good doctor slightly uneasy. Although she was strong woman, something that he admired, he had also noticed that she was quick to answer his questions without ever really saying anything. Without ever really taking the time to examine or think about a question in depth. In other words, she wasn't providing him with any insight into who she was.

It seemed as if his slight invasion of her personal space was working, because she almost reflexively leaned back in her seat. Thus causing her to momentarily forget what she was about to say and in turn, actually have to properly think about the question now that her automatic response was lost.

A few moments passed by as Kathy found herself pondering why now, of all times, with Agent Walker, of all people, she wanted to continue working with the FBI. After a moment of thoroughly analyzing each of her reasons, she broke the silence.

"It's time."

* * *

Seeley Booth was late, again. This was the fourth meeting in the space of a month that he had arrived to late and for some reason he couldn't bring himself to care. It seemed as if finally, after years of being disappointed, rejected and most of all, alone, he had stopped caring. He had stopped caring whether his hair was perfect in the morning, if his socks were just as wacky as his tie, hell, he even stopped caring if the Steelers won the Superbowl.

Not bothering to pick his head up and walk more quickly towards the meeting room, he trained his once warm brown eyes on the stained blue carpet before him. As he began to lose himself in meaningless thoughts he found himself suddenly jolted back to reality as he collided with someone. A sharp female yelp caused him to snapped his head up in concern, his body propelling himself towards the young woman now staring up at him from the floor.

As the brunette haired woman raised her head slowly, Booth froze. His eyes widening as he found himself meeting one of the bluest pairs of eyes he had ever encountered. His breath caught in his throat as he continued to stare, only to blink rapidly when she spoke.

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**Author's Note**: I'll explain the reason for my long absence in the next chapter, if anyone is still reading. Please review and let me know if you are.


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